dancers – Page 9

10 Questions With…Summer Templin Culp

July 11, 2011 by 4dancers

This week 10 Questions With… features Summer Templin Culp…

1. How did you become involved with dance?

I grew up in a small town (less than 2000 people) and when I was young, there were not any dance teachers or studios in the area. My father took me to see dance concerts whenever they were nearby, but although I loved dance very much and would dance in my own living room or back yard, I was never able to take classes.

When I was 14, a dance studio opened in a town that was about an hour and a half away and I enrolled in every class that I could on Tuesdays and Saturdays – my parents would take turns driving me to dance class and I was able to take 8 hours of classes per week in this manner. When I turned 16, my parents moved across the state, to a much larger town, and I was able to enroll in a conservatory training program, dancing 6 days per week.

2. What are you currently doing in the field?

I currently teach ballet and modern to ages 4 – adult. I have just recently moved, but prior to my move I was dancing with an aerial dance company and a modern dance company. I am looking for additional performance opportunities in my new community.

3. Would you share a special moment from your career with readers?

The first person I remember seeing on stage as a dancer has been an incredible inspiration to me throughout my life. In college, I asked her to be a part of a choreographic project in which she collaborated with the director of the ballet company I danced for and one of my modern teachers to create a cohesive piece of choreography which displayed my talents as a dancer and performer. The experience of being able to work with three of my mentors at the same time was absolutely awe-inspiring. I wish everyone would have such an opportunity!

4. What is the best advice you have received from a teacher or mentor? [Read more…]

On Giving Back…Part 1

June 27, 2011 by 4dancers

Today we have part one of two from Contributor Lucy Vurusic Riner–tune in on Wednesday to read the rest–

I didn’t really begin my dance training until high school. My mom signed me up for ballet and tap as a little girl and I hated it. It wasn’t until I was a sophomore in high school that I decided I wanted to take another stab at it.

I had my share of disappointments but I worked twice as hard to make up for lost time in training. And although I have come across my fair share of nay-sayers, the people that had the biggest influences on my life were my dance teachers. I had some bad ones, we all do, but the ones that I attribute to getting me to where I am today always had my best interests at heart. Those teachers never told me I had the wrong body, never told me I started too late in life, and never made me feel like I didn’t have choices.

The good teachers recognized my strengths and gave me options on where those strengths might lead me. The good teachers never tell you that you won’t make it. Simply put, they can’t know that.

Over the last 20 odd years I have found myself in every position a dancer might have to take on to make ends meet. I started humbly, by moving to New York over a summer and trying to find “gigs.” These were most notably at conventions, conferences, even a bar mitzah. When New York quickly lost it’s luster (for me) I came back to Chicago, finished school by getting a teaching certificate and began teaching high school dance.

I danced with several companies, produced my own shows, and soon learned that in most small to mid-level companies I would serve dual roles as a dancer and (in my case) benefit coordinator, board member, dancer liaison, etc. Last year I decided to start my dance company so that I could focus on choreography and arts administration a bit more. I’m sharing this information because through all of these experiences I have met dancers from every walk of life who share their “training experiences” with me. The stories that always get to me are of the teacher that might have told them to throw in the towel; or that thought that by knocking them down, they would stand up stronger. And it is because of those experiences that I compiled a new list (my last one went over pretty well) on “Giving Back to Your Students”… [Read more…]

The Sweet Spot

June 11, 2011 by Kimberly Peterson

Today I’d like to introduce 4dancers newest contributor, who will be writing about “So You Think You Can Dance”, among other things. Read more about Kimberly Peterson’s background in her bio at the end of this post, and be sure and chime in if you have something to add to what she has said here. I’m thrilled to have her aboard…

You’ll find her writing to be more than a mere “re-hash” of the show, but rather a closer look at some of the deeper issues that are raised by it. Read on… – Catherine

Many dancers have been told of the illusive “sweet spot”, wherein very nearly all aspects of technique, movement elements and principles are present in a singular body.

This perfectly technical and yet expressive dancer is also inherently malleable, utilized simultaneously as both tool and material, from which a choreographer can construct their vision. It’s the purpose of the show, So You Think You Can Dance, to find a dancer who has found this illusive “sweet spot”.

While specializing in one particular genre, each dancer is tested and pushed to the limit in any number of genres from the highly classical and technical, to the guttural nature of street dance and every point in between. As the season gets underway, the audition process reveals much about the connections between genres, technique, performance and this “sweet spot”.

Watching the audition process and looking back over the previous seasons, there seems to be a clear pattern between the style of dance a dancer specializes in and the probability of getting straight through to Vegas vs. the choreography round. While open and aware of the trends and upcoming genres, it appears that certain styles do seem to lend themselves better than others to success in both the audition round as well as future success on the show. [Read more…]

Use Social Media To Your Advantage

July 27, 2010 by 4dancers

There are many ways to use social media. You can connect with other dancers in the field, keep up on the latest happenings in terms of a company you like–or get the word out about your latest performances.

But don’t overlook sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn for things such as research.

If you are going to be interviewing for a job somewhere, check out the LinkedIn profile of the organization, or peek at their Facebook page for the latest info. Many employers are doing just that these days when it comes to screening potential applicants–why shouldn’t you use it to your advantage as well?

You just might pick up on a detail that will help you get the gig.

Swimmers Vs. Dancers

June 18, 2010 by 4dancers

Want to know who is more fit when you compare international swimmers and international ballet dancers? Check out the findings on this Scientific Blogging site–then let me know if you expected the answer–or if you were surprised.

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